An Unconventional Christmas
by unofficialfansie
Summary: Spending Christmas in the ER isn't exactly Crutchie's idea of fun. (Oneshot)


**A/N:**

 **Hello! This is just a quick little Christmas story, sorry it's a day late but life has been crazy lately. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

"Jack Kelly?" Jack sprang up from his seat in the ER waiting room and hurried over to the front desk where a nurse was waiting. "Yeah, that's me," he responded. "How's Crutchie?" The nurse glanced at her clipboard before responding. "He's sustained multiple injuries, including a broken wrist and a pretty bad concussion," she responded, and Jack's chest clenched. Glancing up and seeing his worried expression, she smiled sympathetically. "He'll be fine Mr. Kelly, but the doctor does want to keep him here for a full 24 hours for observation." It took a few seconds for Jack to process her words. "B-but it's Christmas Eve!" he stuttered, not sure he had heard her right. The nurse shrugged. "Nothing I can do, sorry." She turned away from him, and Jack sighed, running his fingers through his hair. Christmas in the ER. Great. Just great.

Crutchie was sitting up in bed when Jack walked in, a cast on his left wrist (thank goodness it wasn't his right wrist, or he'd be using a wheelchair to get around), and dark circles under his eyes. "Heya, kid," Jack smiled, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "How're ya feelin'?" Crutchie shrugged, looking down at his lap. "Okay, I guess. They gave me some pretty strong pain meds so..." he trailed off and shrugged again. There was an akward pause, then Jack spoke up. "I'm sorry, kid." Crutchie looked up in suprise. "For what? You weren't the one who decided to go ice skating with a crutch." Jack gave a small smile. "No, but I was the one who convinced you it was a good idea, and now you're in the hospital on Christmas Eve and..." it was Jack's turn to shrug. "Hey, it's okay, Jack. I'll be fine, and there'll be other Christmases," Crutchie reassured him, then yawned loudly. Jack smiled at him, then reached over to pat him on the shoulder. "Okay, kid. Get some sleep, I'll be back in the mornin'." Crutchie grinned, then lay down on the bed and quickly drifted off as Jack quietly exited the room, closing the door behind him.

"Jack, this bag is heavy!" Race complained, only to be loudly shushed. "Not so loud! You want Crutchie ta hear ya?" Jack whispered, glaring at Race, who grumbled something under his breath but fell silent. Jack stopped in front of the door to the room he remembered was Crutchie's, straightened the Santa hat he wore on his head, then burst loudly into the room. "Merry Christmas, Crutchie!" Crutchie sat up in bed, startled, then grinned when he saw it was Jack. His grin grew wider when Race stumbled into the room behind Jack, carrying a big bag and wearing an elf hat. "Lost a bet," he muttered in answer to Crutchie's questioning look, dropping the bag down at the foot of the bed. Jack smiled down at Crutchie, ruffling his hair. "Ya feelin' any better, kid?" Crutchie nodded, then turned his gaze towards the bag sitting in front of him. "Jack, ya didn't have ta-" he started, but Jack interrupted him. "O' course I did, Crutch! Couldn't let ya spend Christmas Day all alone with no presents, could I?" Race grinned, grabbing a present from the top of the bag and shoving it in Crutchie's lap. "Here, this is from all of us for ya." Crutchie grinned again, then eagerly tore into the package. He gasped when he saw what it was, and looked up at Jack and Race with tears in his eyes. "This is amazin'! Thanks guys!" Their present for him was an incredibly realistic drawing of him surrounded by all of the other boys in their group home, clearly drawn by Jack, and framed nicely in a wooden frame that had the word _Family_ carved into it. "So ya like it?" Jack asked, and Crutchie nodded, setting it on the table next to the hospital bed. Looking back at the bag still full of presents, he frowned. "Those aren't all for me, right?" he asked, and Race shook his head. "Nah, we got another surprise for ya though." He walked to the door of the room and stuck his head into the hallway. "Hey guys, come on!" He turned back to Crutchie with a grin on his face, and suddenly the whole room was filled with all the other boys, talking and laughing amongst themselves. "Figured we might as well have Christmas here," Jack shrugged, then began to pass out the rest of the presents to the boys. Crutchie sat back on his pillows, smiling as he watched the wonderment in their faces as they received their presents. This had turned into a perfect Christmas after all.

 **A/N: There it is! Please review, give me requests, all that good stuff. (Seriously, though. I'm on break from school for the next two weeks, so if you want me to write something, I will. I have time.) Also, even though it's late, Merry Christmas and happy holidays!**


End file.
